Angel's Blossom
by Shadow of Midnight
Summary: Kinda fluffy. Sequel to Demon's Sand. SakuraxGaara
1. Chapter 1

Angelic Blossom

**This is the sequel to Demonic Sand. This story is dedicated to my first reviewer, Chump, who told me that Demonic Sand was good but needed romance. So I wrote a sequel, one with romance. I forgot to put the disclaimer on all my other stories but once and for all, incase you didn't already guess, I don't own Naruto! The one who owns him is Kishimoto-sama but maybe he'll give Naruto to Hinata! **

"And so we couldn't get him to come back. So troublesome." The lazy ninja explained to the three others walking beside him.

"What a jerk!" The girl said loudly. She turned to her brothers.

"Did you hear that? That idiot Sasuke left to go to Orochimaru and they can't get him to come back."

"Hn." The youngest child replied. The older boy looked disgusted.

"Pity we didn't go on, Tem." He said. "Maybe we could have helped. That idiot." He snorted.

"Hn." Gaara said again. His mind wasn't on the traitor, Uchiha Sasuke. He was thinking of a cherry blossom. He shook himself. He wouldn't think about her. _Come on, you know you like her. _Shukaku teased. _Admit it, she's hot._ 'No,' Gaara thought back, 'She is but…' he trailed off as he realized that he had admitted it. _Gotcha_, Shukaku murmured in his head before being silent. Gaara tried to ignore the demon's words and concentrate on the group around him but he was having trouble. The face of the pretty Konoha Nin was before his eyes.

"Even since then Sakura's been really depressed. She misses him a lot. Ino does too. It makes training with them difficult. Really troublesome." Shikamaru was saying.

"You big baby," Temari teased, "What a wimp. Gaara and Kankuro are scary when they're happy. Right?" She turned to Kankuro, who scowled at her.

"You forgot yourself, Tem." He said. "Now that's scary." Shikamaru looked sideways at Temari before nodding quickly.

"'Hey," She protested. "I'm," She was cut off by Gaara.

"Is Sakura alright?" Shikamaru looked startled.

"Sakura? A bit depressed but physically fine. Why?" Temari and Kankuro were looking at their brother strangely.

"Ooooh, Gaara's got a crushhhh." Kankuro said. Gaara sent a death glare his way. He ignored it. "Gaara and Sakura sittin' in a tree,"

"If you don't shut up I'll kill you." Gaara said flatly. Temari provided a distraction by asking Shikamaru how every one had healed from their injuries.

"Neji's fine. That hole in his chest healed again. Lady Tsunade healed Choji. She's really troublesome but a great medic. Kiba healed fine and the rest of us are good. Lee's been training again. His injuries are…" He trailed off, looking at Gaara. Gaara felt a bit ashamed. The enthusiastic 'Green Beast's' injuries were due to him. He made a mental note to see how he was. Temari also looked at Gaara. Kankuro, taking advantage of the silence, moved closer to Gaara and whispered into his ear.

"Hey, use a bit of sand and push Temari at Shikamaru. Gently though." Gaara looked at his brother askance. This wasn't the first time Kankuro had roped him in on a prank.

"Fine." He said. A small tendril of sand rose up from the ground, unnoticed by all but Gaara and Kankuro. It slithered toward Temari and gently shoved her at the Leaf Nin. Temari stumbled and almost tripped. Shikamaru caught her in his arms as she fell and helped her back up. Both of them were blushing wildly.

"You are so dead, Kankuro." Temari threatened, her face still red. "So dead."

"But Temari," Kankuro whined. "Shikamaru caught you in his arms. Your true love caught you in his arms. Don't I get some credit?" Temari blushed even darker. At this point her face put Gaara's hair to shame.

"Shut up Kankuro." She said through gritted teeth. "I will kill you if you don't shut up now." Kankuro wisely held his tongue. As they passed the hospital, a flash of pink caught their eyes. Shikamaru turned to face the alley it came from.

"Speaking of Sakura," He said, "There she is." He pointed. They all looked down the alley. A girl, Sakura, was sitting and sobbing on a stone bench. Her short pink hair hung over her face. Her pink dress was dirty from blood from the hospital. Gaara frowned. This wasn't the Sakura he had talked to during the training month. That Sakura had pitied him but been cheerful This Sakura was in despair. He immediately envisioned crushing Sasuke in a Sand Coffin and almost grinned.

"We should go talk to her." Temari said instantly. "She's crying." Shikamaru nodded.

"I suppose." He led them down to the crying blossom. Gaara had to admit that even in tears, Sakura was really beautiful. _Wouldn't you like to kiss her?_ Shukaku whispered, _Or… _Gaara instantly silenced the perverted voice of his demon. Shukaku really was a bloodthirsty perv. They stopped when they were right beside her. Temari sat down with the others standing awkwardly around.

"Temari-san?" The girl said as she looked up. Her green eyes were rimmed with pink from crying.

"Its alright Sakura," Temari patted her on the back. "Now tell me what happened. What's wrong?" Sakura took a deep breath.

"I miss him." She said shakily.

"Its fine." Temari murmured. "When I go away I miss Shikamaru." Shikamaru blushed, "But I don't cry about it."

"Yes you do." Kankuro said, "You cried buckets when we left last time." Temari sent possibly the most evil death glare ever in his direction. Kankuro 'eep'ed and backed away.

"Talk to me. Girl talk, you know?" She said. "I'll send the guys away."

"Its ok. They can stay." Sakura said, sniffing. "I'm pathetic and annoying, it doesn't matter about me."

"Who told you that you were pathetic and annoying?" Gaara said dangerously. Sakura looked up, afraid.

"Sasuke-kun. He's right, I am pathetic."

"You are no such thing." Temari said firmly. "That boy needs to be taken down a notch." Inside his head Gaara agreed with her. He wanted very badly to be the one to take Sasuke down a notch. _Yes, I can kill __him,__ right? _Shukaku asked. Gaara growled agreement. 'Yes, you can rip his head off if you want to. I'm all for it'. Shukaku snarled with glee.


	2. Chapter 2

On the outside Gaara was calm and reserved

On the outside Gaara was calm and reserved. He watched his sister comfort the distraught girl and invite her to the apartment they rented in the Leaf Village for dinner. He was calm as Sakura sniffingly accepted the invitation.

"Then its settled." Temari said gleefully, glad to have another girl around. "Come on. I'll get you cleaned up." Sakura began to stand up. Impassively, Gaara reached out a hand and helped her. Kankuro looked like he was hatching something. Temari sent another glare in his direction and the look left his face. Shikamaru snickered quietly. Kankuro looked at him and Shikamaru shrugged. He stepped back to be even with Temari as they began walking. Gaara hesitated for a moment. _Come on, _Shukaku urged, _Walk with her._ 'So you have a chance to check her out?' _Obviously,_ 'Stupid demon' he thought before walking forward. Temari and Shikamaru led the procession, Gaara and Sakura followed and Kankuro brought up the rear.

"And Kankuro," Temari said, "Don't even think about it." He groaned.

"How did you know?"

"Know what? That you were going to pull something? That's because you're Kankuro." She put an arm around Shikamaru's shoulders. He blushed crimson for a moment before putting his arm around her waist. Sakura watched them nervously. She glanced at Gaara then at Kankuro. Temari solved the problem again.

"Another time, Shikamaru." She said, "Come here Sakura." Sakura moved away from Gaara who barely hid a frown of irritation. Since when did he care when his sister talked to Sakura? _Since our cherry blossom started having to leave us to do it._ Shukaku replied smugly. 'Shut up, Shukaku' He though irritably.

Dinner was quiet. Shikamaru thought that conversation was troublesome, Kankuro was being watched by Temari, Sakura was depressed, and Gaara was, well, Gaara. Sakura was the first to speak once Temari had cleared the table.

"Thank you for the meal. But I don't want to waste your time with my patheticness. I'll leave." Temari looked aghast.

"Sakura, stop saying that you're pathetic. You are not pathetic. Repeat after me. I,"

"I,"

"Am,"

"Am,"

"Not,"

"Not,"

"Pathetic."

"Pathetic."

"Good. Now how about 'Uchiha Sasuke is a traitor and unworthy of my affection'?" Sakura shook her head.

"Sasuke-kun is too good for me. I wasn't enough, I'm not good enough." She stood up. Temari was about to stand up too but Shikamaru put his hand on her arm.

"Don't," He said, "She does this all the time. The best thing to do is leave her alone, Temari-chan." Temari nodded. Kankuro looked at his plate. Gaara, who had been watching Sakura, stood up.

"I'll walk her home." He said quietly. Temari smiled, a slow and evil smile.

"Good Gaara. Be a gentleman. Be nice or else." She threw him an even scarier smile. "If you aren't I'll be mad."

"Some how I liked you better when you were terrified." He grumbled. "Come on Sakura-san." She corrected him immediately.

"Sakura. Not Sakura-san. I don't," Temari cut her off.

"Its alright." She made shooeing motions with her hands. "Go on, before it gets too dark." She turned to Gaara. "The moon is full in three days." He nodded.

"Come on, Sakura-sa, Sakura." She nodded and nervously walked out the door. Temari looked pointedly at Kankuro.

"Isn't there somewhere you have to be?" She asked him.

"Fine. You just want to get rid of me so you can make out with Shikamaru. I'm go," Before he even finished the sentence there was a kunai under his throat.

"Elaborate and die, Kankuro." Temari said dangerously. "Go on." He backed up and went up the stairs.

"So, where were we?" Shikamaru said lazily.

"We were here." Temari said as she sat down in his lap.

"I see, not troublesome at all." He said softly as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed/favorited/etc

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed/favorited/etc. any of my stories. You all are awesome. **

**Raimundoroks**

**Leanna10123**

**Reila Ruki**

**Herbblade**

**Razell**

**Annocat**

**Chump **

**I do not own Naruto. I will not say it again. Did you really think I did?**

Gaara silently walked beside Sakura. She seemed a little more confident and a little more cheerful but she was still upset. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know what to say. She kept shooting nervous glances at him. He ignored it. He was concentrating on preventing Shukaku from filling his mind with perverted images of Sakura. They were walking past the building they had first spoken by when Sakura spoke.

"Gaara-san?"

"Gaara," He corrected. "I don't deserve to be referred to as 'san'." She looked at him.

"Gaara, then."

"Hm?"

"Why are you so different?"

"What do you mean?" She hesitated and looked up at the building. He followed her gaze.

"I see. You mean like that."

"Mhm. Before you told me that you hated Temari-san and Kankuro-san. Now you don't. What happened?" Gaara looked up at the top of the building where he had sat alone and realized what she meant.

"A lot of things happened. I told you what happened to me as a kid. The simple version is that Naruto knocked sense into me. You were unconscious so you didn't see." He scuffed a foot awkwardly. "It was Naruto who beat me. He's an amazing person, you know." She smiled weakly.

"He defiantly thinks so." Gaara shook his head.

"He really is. Do you know how much of a struggle it was for him to keep smiling?"

"A bit. I guess I'm not strong enough to keep smiling. He really is stronger than I am." Gaara looked at her as she leaned against the building and dissolved into tears. He moved closer to her and moved her away. She went limp in his strong arms. He hesitated. _Pick her up._ Shukaku commanded. _Pick her up and carry her somewhere that_, Gaara cut him off by mentally shoving a sock in his mouth. He lifted her and carried her, bridal style, to a nearby bench. She looked up at him trustingly but still slightly uncertain.

"Its alright. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not the monster I used to act like." Sakura looked at him again.

"So you don't think that you're a monster anymore?" He nodded.

"Naruto taught me that. I'm human, as much as anyone else. But what happened to you?" Sakura's face dropped.

"Sasuke-kun left." She said sadly and started to cry again. Gaara hesitated before putting an arm around her shoulders. He put his other hand under her chin and gently lifted her face to look at him.

"He's a traitor. Nothing you can do will change that. Naruto tried to help him but some people want to stay 'In the Darkness'. When they do, there's no hope for them." She sniffed.

"I offered him everything, I wasn't good enough." A tear ran down her cheek. He wiped it away. His green eyes were kind.

"He's an idiot then. You got it wrong. He wasn't worthy of you. You are too good for him." He paused for a moment. "You are very beautiful, Sakura." Her eyes widened. He smiled slightly. "I. I love you." Her eyes widened.

"What?" He nodded.

"Ever since the exams, when we talked, I couldn't get you out of my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about you." In his head, Shukaku rubbed his paws together with glee. "You were always in my thoughts. Your face." He put a hand on the side of her face. She looked at him with wide, innocent, eyes. She was blushing. "I don't want to see your beautiful face crying anymore."

"I'm not beautiful." She said hesitatingly. He shook his head.

"You are beautiful. I'll never forgive Uchiha for making you cry like this. Its unforgivable." She was silent. "Sakura, believe me. I love you." She closed her eyes as he leaned forward.

**Ooh, Cliffy. Yay! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter contains fluff but no lemons

**Chapter contains fluff but no lemons.**

Sakura felt her breath stop. This was a different feeling from being around Sasuke-kun. With him she felt herself breathing faster. Around him she was always nervous, thinking that he might be angry with her. But with Gaara she felt alive. Safe. She knew his story. She knew that he would never hurt her.

Gaara saw her relax slightly. He saw the lines in her face smooth out. Her hair fell gently around her face. Her whole countenance glowed with the soft caress of the silver moon. She was always beautiful to him, though the attraction was more than skin deep, but with the moonlight shining down on her, she looked like an angel. 'Too good to be real', he thought. _Kiss her, _Shukaku commanded. _Now._

Gaara chose to listen to the demon. He closed the distance between them quickly. His mouth met hers. He felt her skin against him. It was cold but it began to warm. Her eyes looked into his. He felt happy. Shukaku's victory dance in his head was nothing more than a twittering. Sakura was real. There. And he loved her.

They broke apart. She leaned up against him. He rubbed her back gently. Her eyes were warm. He was falling into the green. A Sakura blossom fell from the tree and landed in her lap. A petal fell off of it. She picked it up with a bitter noise.

"That's what I am, a damaged flower. I can't love, Sasuke-kun broke my heart." Gaara kissed her cheek gently. He shook his head. Gaara reached out. He took the pink petal from her hands. He took a pinch of sand out of his pocket and dropped it on the flower. It fell into the center. He put the broken off blossom back into its place. He sat the blossom in his lap. Sakura watched the flower. He made a small hand sign. She couldn't see what it was but he seemed satisfied. He picked up the flower again. The petal was attached. It was whole again. He offered her the flower. She took it.

There was no evidence of any break. He smiled and she timidly returned it.

"That flower is whole again. You aren't a damaged flower anymore. You are a flower growing back from a broken heart, even more beautiful." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Gaara, its, its." He put a finger to her lips.

"Shhh. I know." His face was calm in the moon's pale rays. Her heart stopped again. She had never looked at Sabaku no Gaara, the Sand Village's weapon, this way. But she had to admit that he was good looking. _Maybe better than Sasuke-kun. _Inner Sakura said, _And he likes us. I say, go ahead. _'He is maybe.' Sakura thought back, 'And Inner,' _What? _'He's in love with ME, not you. Stay out of this.'Inner Sakura went off the sulk in the corner.

"You can learn to love again." He said gently. "I can help you." She let out the breath she had been holding. Gaara didn't expect her to be perfect. He didn't want a girl that she wasn't. He wanted her, Sakura, the way she was. And she wanted him as he was.

_A perfect couple, _Shukaku commented, _A boy who doesn't know love and a girl with a broken heart. Perfect. _'And where does the egotistical demon fit in?' Gaara thought, 'No where. Stay out of this.' Shukaku went to sulk in the corner.

A small irritated sound caught the ear of the demon. It looked across. A version of Sakura except with the word 'Inner' on its forehead was looking annoyed. Shukaku whistled at it. It turned. A slow smile spread across its face. _Why can't I have some fun too? _It said. _I deserve some fun. _It moved across from Sakura's counciousness to where Gaara and Sakura were touching. It leaned out from Sakura's head to the edge of Gaara's. Shukaku did the same. _I deserve some fun too, _The demon said slyly. Inner grinned.

In reality Gaara and Sakura were listening to the conversation. Gaara looked at her.

"If even Shukaku is happy with it," He trailed off. She smiled softly.

"I'm just glad we're together."

The wind caressed the branches of the cherry tree. A shower of the pink blossoms fell around the two lovers as the moon shone down through branches.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter contains citrus… But don't worry

**Chapter contains citrus… But don't worry.**

A month later, Sakura and Gaara were walking down the main street of Konoha, hand in hand. They were smiling. She had a flower tucked into her hair and a new dress, shorter and more bold. She was wearing fingerless gloves.

"I'm going to have to leave tomorrow." He was saying sadly. "We're going to have to go back to Suna. I'll visit as soon as I can." She nodded and squeezed his hand. She moved a little closer to him.

"I know. Tsunade-san told me."

"She's a good person and a good Hokage. But will you be alright? I mean," He paused, "You were…"

"Having an emotional breakdown."

"Right. But you'll be fine, right?" She nodded.

"I'll be fine! Really, believe it!" She stopped, gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh no. I really have gone insane." He cocked his head.

"How?"

"In a terrible way." She said solemnly.

"How?" He repeated worriedly. She smiled broadly.

"I'm quoting _Naruto_." He looked confused. "You're so cute when you do that." She said and kissed him. "But seriously, when you quote Naruto that really means you've gone insane. And if you say 'Believe it' that means you're beyond hope. Your fate is to become like Naruto and run around being an idiot for all eternity. That," She said gravely, "Is the worst of all." At the sight of his still perplexed face she burst out laughing.

"I fail to see how that is amusing." He grumbled jokingly. She laughed, a carefree laugh. He smiled a little to hear it. She put a hand to his face to capture the smile. His eyes were soft.

"Keep smiling while you're gone." She reminded him.

"Same to you." He reminded her. He frowned, "I'm not fully sure that you'll be alright. You may talk lightly now but you don't even have Naruto to cheer you up if you get really down."

"I'll be fine." She said again. "Sheesh, quit worrying." She kissed his cheek. "I've got plenty to do while you're gone." He looked skeptical.

"Let me hear about this." She obliged.

"I'm becoming Tsunade-san's apprentice in Medical Ninjutsu." He smiled again in satisfation.

"Good. Just don't get her addiction to Sake. I'd hate to come back and find you totally drunk." She laughed again and it sounded like the ringing of bells.

"I won't. I can't stand alcohol. Besides, I have to avoid it. I've got really low tolerance to it." He made a noise that was supposed to be laughter.

"You haven't seen low tolerance until you've seen Lee in Drunken Fist. Now _that's_ low tolerance."

"You haven't either." She pointed out.

"I head about it from him and from his teacher. Neji and Tenten also told me about it." He shuddered.

"I hope he doesn't go on about the power of youth even in that mode." She giggled. "YOSH!" He shuddered again.

"Anything but that. So you'll be fine?"

"Yep. You got me confident enough to live on my own."

"Example?" She pointed down.

"Dress. Would I be wearing this if I wasn't confident in myself?" He shook his head. "I'll be fine! And I won't come back addicted to alcohol, drunk, saying 'YOSH', or 'Believe it!'." She hugged him. "I'm going to miss you though." He hugged her back.

"I'll miss you too."

Temari pulled Kankuro back from the corner of the building he was peeping around. He turned to face his annoyed sister and the lazy genius.

"No spying, brat." She told him. "Bad Kankuro." She reached out and tapped him on the end of the nose.

"Puppy training?" Shikamaru asked skeptically. Temari nodded, her eyes unusually wide and innocent.

"Works with dogs, might work with brothers." Shikamaru smirked at the indignant Kankuro. After all the times Kankuro had been a pest when he wanted to be alone with Temari, he felt that he deserved on final dig at the puppeteer.

"But dogs are smart, Temari." Kankuro glared at him. He shrugged. "Its true."

"I'll fricken kill you." Kankuro said angrily. Shikamaru tapped his fingertips, Kankuro walked into a wall and fell back. His shadow went back into its normal form.

"Too troublesome." Shikamaru said. "See you around." He kissed Temari and all Kankuro could do was watch. He caught the eye of a pretty young woman across the street. She had red tattoos on her cheeks and strait brown hair. She was obviously a ninja. She kinda resembled that Inuzuka kid from the exams… Temari saw him staring at her and giggled.

"Kankuro's got a crush…"

"On Inuzuka Hana." Shikamaru finished, "Kiba's sister." He laughed. "She the town vet." A trio of dogs trailed after Hana.

"Kankuro's got a crush!" Temari sang. He glared at her.

"Um, I'll kill you f you don't shut up." She shook her head.

"I'll tell Gaara and Sakura you were spying on them. _And_ I'll tell Kiba that you have a crush on his sister." He scowled again.

"I'm never going to see the end of this, am I?" She shook her head cheerfully.

"Never." The two sand siblings stepped forward to join Gaara as they waved to the ones who stayed in the Leaf Village. Then, with a swirl of sand, they were gone.

**Me: Thank you for reading my story!**

**Shukaku: You said there was going to be 'Citrus'! What happened?**

**Me: (Rolls eyes) Hentai. (Dumps lemonade on Shukaku's head.) There you go. Citrus. **

**Shukaku: YOU DIE NOW! **

**Me: Eep! (runs) Thanks for putting up with the switch! Stupid demon, back off. Take that! (Throws more lemonade at Shukaku and runs) **


End file.
